PHEASANT BROTH WITH RICOTTA AND HERB DUMPLINGS

The day before: main broth

Place the pheasants in a large pan and cover with water, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Tip away the liquid, clean the pan and return the pheasants (this will give you a cleaner, brighter broth).

Add 4 litres of cold water and the rest of the main broth ingredients.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour or until the pheasant meat is cooked and tender.

Keep the liquid in the pan and remove the pheasants. Allow them to cool a little, then shred off the meat. Cool and refrigerate.

Return the bones to the pan and simmer for another 2 hours before straining and seasoning.

Cool and place in the refrigerator overnight.

On the day: dumplings

Place the ricotta in a sieve above a bowl and leave to strain for at least 1 hour.

Mix the strained ricotta and other dumpling ingredients together and stir well.

Form into equal-sized balls that are slightly smaller than a golf ball.

Place on to a tray that has been dusted with flour.

Loosely cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 hours.

Broth additions

In a pan of lightly salted water, separately poach the mushrooms, then the parsnips, then the cavolo nero, all until just cooked.

Remove each vegetable with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

To serve

Bring the main broth to a simmer and add the shredded pheasant meat. Do not allow to boil.

Bring a wide, deep pan of lightly salted water just to a boil.

Gently place in the dumplings and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Scoop out on to a tray. Divide the warm broth, pheasant meat, vegetables and dumplings between 8 warm bowls and serve.